Chapter 115: The Clairvoyant He Has Longed For Is About to Be Unveiled!

“I’m going to pick the most extraordinary bamboo!” Wei Shian exclaimed excitedly as he stood up and headed outside.

Li Su was speechless. “The most extraordinary bamboo?”

Wei Shian grabbed a bamboo-cutting knife and left; the tools here were truly comprehensive.

Actually, there was bamboo right by the bamboo tube, but he felt the aged bamboo there wasn’t worthy of his painstakingly researched telescope.

He wanted to sift through the bamboo grove to select the single best bamboo stalk.

Li Su watched as Wei Shian, caught up in excitement, pulled open the door, which creaked and seemed ready to fall off.

Rubbing his temples, Li Su wondered why the director’s temperament was so childlike.

He bowed his head and resumed carefully grinding the lenses, determined to finish the telescope as soon as possible.

Wei Shian wandered through the bamboo grove behind the academy, scanning in all directions with a furrowed brow. None of the bamboo seemed quite right—not the extraordinary bamboo he had envisioned.

After scrutinizing every stalk in the grove, Wei Shian finally selected one that was just barely acceptable and sliced it down with a single stroke.

Holding the bamboo in one hand with a pleased smile, he hurried back, drawing curious glances from passing students.

Why did the director have to personally chop the bamboo?

Wei Shian’s footsteps quickened. “Li Su, I’m back with the bamboo!”

“Look at this stalk! It’s the extraordinary bamboo I painstakingly selected!”

Li Su glanced at the bamboo in Wei Shian’s hand. The branches were untrimmed, and when Wei Shian tried to show it off, he thrust it close to Li Su’s face, nearly poking his eye. Luckily, Li Su dodged in time.

Li Su was at a loss for words.

“It’s pretty good,” he muttered, unable to tell the difference from ordinary bamboo, but if the director said it was extraordinary, it must be so.

Li Su took charge of polishing the lenses while Wei Shian began crafting the bamboo tube.

After Li Su explained the specific structure, Wei Shian remarked, “Your mind is truly made for the study of things.”

He felt Li Su’s inspiration didn’t come in bits and pieces but as a fully formed image of every detail appearing in his mind from the very start.

Wei Shian envied Li Su’s mind.

His earlier plan to ‘teach’ Li Su a lesson after he faced setbacks had completely vanished.

Wei Shian sincerely believed Li Su would succeed in making the telescope.

After a while, Wei Shian frowned. “This extraordinary bamboo doesn’t match the glass lens… what a waste!”

Li Su’s lips twitched. “You left so quickly, I didn’t get a chance to tell you.”

Wei Shian looked at Li Su suspiciously. “You wouldn’t be doing this on purpose, would you? That little rascal.”

Li Su hurriedly shook his head. “No, honestly, I didn’t have time.”

Wei Shian reluctantly believed him and went back to choose a few more bamboo stalks.

“In fact, you can grind the lenses a bit smaller; you don’t need to find bamboo that fits perfectly.” It was easier to make the lens fit the bamboo tube than the other way around.

Wei Shian grabbed a bamboo stalk and playfully struck Li Su. “You brat, why didn’t you say so earlier? You did it on purpose!”

Li Su jumped aside. “Director, why are you hitting me?”

“Didn’t your master ever tell you? When I was an official, I even fought with my colleagues, let alone little rascals like you!”

Li Su had no idea Wei Shian had fought with colleagues before—he thought it was incredibly cool.

Though it would be better if he didn’t hit him at all.

Wei Shian chased Li Su around the yard, striking a few times. Li Su shouted, “I won’t dare next time, stop hitting me!”

He would dare next time but would improve his dodging skills.

Wei Shian wasn’t hitting hard, just enough to make a point; he wouldn’t hurt him seriously.

After all, his telescope still depended on Li Su.

“So, how much should these two lenses be ground down?” Wei Shian asked, preparing to try grinding one himself.

Li Su turned his head away, ignoring Wei Shian.

Wei Shian grumbled, “Petty! I wasn’t hitting hard!”

“I don’t care; you still hit me.”

“Speak up. What do you want?”

“Who asks for something first?” Asking for forgiveness should mean you offer something.

“Take it or leave it,” Wei Shian said grumpily, spoiling him.

“I want some of the finest jade, and make it in larger pieces,” Li Su said. He planned to carve a small, chibi version of his master teaching him, as a gift.

It was a sudden inspiration from polishing glass these days, especially since he hadn’t seen his master recently and wanted to remind him he was still around.

He was his master’s devoted disciple, determined to cling tightly to his master’s side.

Wei Shian readily agreed, “Fine.” Jade wasn’t a big deal to him.

Only then did Li Su explain how finely the glass should be ground.

Wei Shian listened attentively and started practicing that night.

Seeing how simple Li Su made it look, Wei Shian tried for himself but overdid it and ruined the glass.

Still, Wei Shian wasn’t one to give up easily. He was determined to master it!

While Wei Shian worked on grinding the glass, Li Su opened a book and began reading.

This time, Wei Shian didn’t nag him about reading; he understood it was to better pursue the study of things in the future.

Though Wei Shian was a practitioner of this path, his experience and scholarly achievements were significant—he had ranked second in the imperial examination.

Occasionally, Wei Shian offered Li Su some advice, which Li Su appreciated.

...

Two days later, Li Su's telescope lenses were polished and ready.

Wei Shian asked eagerly, “Is it done?”

Li Su nodded slightly. “Done. Now all that’s left is assembly.”

Wei Shian was eager to try. “Let me assemble it!” Though he had ruined two lenses, he felt confident about assembling.

Li Su agreed, thinking it important to boost the director’s involvement.

They had been discussing the telescope for days, so Wei Shian knew how to assemble it.

With care, Wei Shian began fitting the lenses.

Li Su leaned against the table, casually flipping through his unfinished book.

Wei Shian’s heart pounded nervously; the telescope he so longed for was about to be born!

He was extremely cautious, afraid one wrong move would break the glass, which was difficult to polish.

After all, he had yet to succeed.

He had said Li Su was gifted—both were first attempts at polishing, yet Li Su succeeded on the first try each time.

When Wei Shian finished assembling, his fingers trembled. “Assembly complete.”

Only then did Li Su put down his book. “Let’s go outside and test it.”

In theory, it should work. In practice, Li Su wasn’t certain—this was his first time making one by hand.

Excitedly, the two carried their freshly made telescope outside for preliminary testing.

(Not only do the esteemed readers want to see the official’s story, I really want to write that part too! Why can’t my keyboard just type it on its own!)